Tracking the Tigers with MLB.com beat writer Jason Beck.

Results tagged ‘ Jeff Frazier ’

Brent Dlugach began the year as a potential Tigers infield prospect in the upper ranks of their farm system, and went into the season as somebody to watch after an impressive Spring Training. Now, he’s part of the Red Sox ranks, having been traded Thursday as part of the Tigers’ moves take four Minor League free agents off their 40-man roster.

Also removed from the roster were right-handers Eddie Bonine and Jay Sborz, catcher Max St. Pierre and outfielder Jeff Frazier. All of them were outrighted to Triple-A Toledo, making them eligible to become six-year minor league free agents. Bonine elected to become a free agent immediately, while the others will become free agents on Nov. 6.

Of the group, Bonine had by far the most time in the big leagues this year, having spent the entire season in Detroit’s bullpen. The 29-year-old knuckleballer went 4-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 47 appearances, all but one of them in relief.

Bonine went into the All-Star break with a 4-0 record and a 2.81 ERA before struggling down the stretch, allowing 22 earned runs on 47 hits over 26 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .395 against him after the break. He was inconsistent with his knuckleball, especially late in the season, and hitters began to simply sit on his fastball.

Dlugach was briefly seen as a potential shortstop option, but a slow start at Triple-A Toledo and a high strikeout total left him looking up at the big leagues. He batted .258 for the year with the Mud Hens with six home runs, 41 RBIs, 12 stolen bases and 149 strikeouts over 117 games.

The Red Sox will send over a player to be named later or cash as part of the trade.

St. Pierre finally made it to the big leagues after 14 years in the Minor Leagues, all but one of them in the Tigers organization. He’ll most likely have a spot back in the system if he wants it, but it remains to be seen what he wants to do.

The Tigers’ injury-shortened, workload-extended bullpen will be getting some help for the team’s four-game series at Yankee Stadium. Detroit recalled left-hander Daniel Schlereth from Triple-A Toledo and optioned outfielder Jeff Frazier back to the Mud Hens.

Schlereth is expected to rejoin the Tigers Monday in New York, the team may or may not have closer Jose Valverde available depending on his mild abdominal strain. They also will have to watch Phil Coke after he closed out the Tigers’ last two wins against the White Sox.

Schlereth, part of the return package from Arizona in last December’s Edwin Jackson trade, pitched in four games for the Tigers during his two-week stint in Detroit last month. The 24-year-old and former first-round draft pick gave up an earned run and two inherited runners on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings with two walks and a strikeout.

The Tigers called up Frazier when they were in need of offensive punch at the end of July, but had used him sparingly at best in recent days. He went 5-for-22 with a double, an RBI and five strikeouts in eight appearances.

By now you already know Jhonny Peralta was in uniform soon after first pitch at Tropicana Field, and Scott Sizemore was optioned to Triple-A Toledo to make room. After the game came word that the Tigers swapped bench bats, designating Jeff Larish for assignment and purchasing the contract of Jeff Frazier from the Mud Hens.

Frazier is batting .273 in Toledo with 32 doubles, 23 home runs and 68 RBIs in 104 games. Eight of those home runs have come in July, including a two-homer game Wednesday against Pawtucket. It’s a good story for Frazier, a former Tigers draft pick who left and came back via trade a few years ago and was hoping his numbers to get him a call-up this season, as John Wagner chronicled in The Blade this morning.

The big plus for Frazier that helped get him the call is the fact that he’s a right-handed power bat. With Damon and Boesch and Kelly, the Tigers had enough left-handed bats available in the outfield, but kind of a shortage from the right side now that Raburn is pretty much playing close to every day. Detroit will face left-hander Jon Lester Friday night and then is on track to fellow lefties John Danks and Mark Buehrle next week.

Larish was out of minor league options actually has an option left, so they had didn’t have to designate him. If he passes through waivers, the Tigers will be able to outright him to Toledo.

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